Delicious spinach & ricotta cannelloni bake

This Delicious spinach & ricotta cannelloni bake is the sort of cozy, crowd-pleasing dish that becomes an instant favourite on weeknights or for a relaxed Sunday supper. It’s layered with a rich tomato sauce made from whole peeled tomatoes, a creamy spinach and ricotta filling, and gooey mozzarella on top. The method is approachable, the flavours are comforting and bright, and the recipe is designed to be straightforward so you can enjoy the process as much as the result.

Why you’ll love this recipe

There’s comfort food magic in rolling tender pasta tubes around a herby, creamy filling and baking them in a generous, home-style tomato sauce. Using two tins of Italian whole peeled tomatoes gives a fresh-tasting, rustic base without any fuss. The beurre-noisette-style butter note in the sauce and a hint of nutmeg in the ricotta mix elevate the dish in a way that feels both simple and special.

Ingredients

Use the following list exactly as written so the recipe behaves as intended.

• 2 tins of Italian whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 large white onion, halved
• 40–60 gms butter – depending on how many calories you are willing to sacrifice
• a good few pinches of good quality sea salt flakes such as Maldon
• Black pepper
• 2 x 250 gms of spinach, deveined and de-stalked
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 small red onions or one large red onion, finely chopped
• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• ½ cup milk, plus a little more if needed
• 250 gms / 1 cup ricotta
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• small handful of fresh basil leaves
• 2 x 125 gm balls of mozzarella or fior di latte
• drizzle of olive oil
• 14–16 cannelloni tubes

Prep and tools

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). You’ll need a large pan for the tomato sauce and spinach, a medium saucepan for the béchamel-ish white sauce, a baking dish large enough to hold 14–16 cannelloni tubes snugly, and a food processor or sharp knife for chopping if you prefer.

Make the tomato sauce

1. Place one large white onion halved and the 2 tins of Italian whole peeled tomatoes in a large pan over medium heat. Add 40–60 gms butter (use 60 gms for a richer sauce or 40 gms for a lighter result), plus a good few pinches of good quality sea salt flakes and several grinds of black pepper.

2. Break the whole peeled tomatoes up in the pan using a wooden spoon or potato masher so the sauce becomes rustic rather than completely smooth. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer.

3. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with more sea salt flakes and black pepper as needed. When the sauce has reduced slightly and the flavours have concentrated, remove from heat and set aside. Discard the onion halves or blend them into the sauce for a smoother finish if you prefer a more integrated texture.

Cook and prepare the spinach

4. While the tomato sauce simmers, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 x 250 gms of spinach, deveined and de-stalked, in batches if necessary. Sauté the spinach until just wilted, 2–3 minutes per batch.

5. Season the cooked spinach with a couple pinches of sea salt flakes and a few turns of black pepper. Transfer the spinach to a sieve or colander to cool slightly and drain excess liquid. Once cool, squeeze out any remaining moisture using your hands or by pressing with a spoon to avoid watering down the filling. Roughly chop the spinach and set aside.

Make the ricotta filling

6. In a medium bowl, combine 250 gms / 1 cup ricotta, 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan, ¼ tsp grated nutmeg, and a small handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped. Add the chopped spinach into this bowl and mix until evenly combined.

7. Season the filling mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the mixture slightly thick — it should be spoonable but not runny so it holds inside the cannelloni tubes.

Prepare a light white sauce

8. In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbs butter over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp flour and stir continuously for about 1–2 minutes to form a roux. Cook until the raw flour taste disappears but the mixture does not darken significantly.

9. Slowly whisk in ½ cup milk, adding a splash more milk if necessary to reach a smooth, creamy consistency. Continue to cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper.

10. Allow the white sauce to cool slightly, then fold a spoonful into the ricotta and spinach mixture if you want the filling a touch creamier and easier to pipe. Use only as much as needed; the filling should not become runny.

Assemble the cannelloni

11. Take 14–16 cannelloni tubes and set them on a clean work surface. Spoon the ricotta and spinach mixture into a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Alternatively, use a small spoon to fill each tube carefully.

12. Pipe or spoon the filling into each cannelloni tube until they are filled but not overstuffed. Place the filled cannelloni in a single layer into your baking dish. If needed, trim the ends slightly so they fit snugly in the dish.

Finish the bake

13. Spread a thin layer of the prepared tomato sauce across the base of the baking dish so the cannelloni sit on a bed of sauce and won’t stick.

14. Arrange the filled cannelloni tubes on top of the sauce in a single layer. Spoon remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top of the tubes so they are well covered. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top to help the cheese colour beautifully.

15. Tear the 2 x 125 gm balls of mozzarella or fior di latte into pieces and scatter them across the top of the sauced cannelloni. Finish with a light scatter of grated Parmesan if you like and a few more pinches of sea salt flakes and black pepper.

Bake and serve

16. Bake the assembled cannelloni in the preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 25–30 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the cheese on top is melted and golden in places.

17. Once baked, remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes. This short rest helps the filling set slightly, making the cannelloni easier to serve and keeping the filling from spilling out.

18. Garnish with a small handful of fresh basil leaves and an optional drizzle of olive oil just before serving. Serve the cannelloni warm with a crisp green salad and crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Tips and variations

• For a lighter version, use 40 gms butter in the tomato sauce. For a richer flavour, use 60 gms.
• If you prefer a smooth tomato sauce, remove the halved white onion after simmering or briefly blend the sauce with a stick blender.
• To make assembly faster, cook the spinach the day before and store it in the fridge. Squeeze and chop just before mixing with the ricotta.
• If you can’t find cannelloni tubes, large lasagne sheets can be blanched, filled, and rolled as an alternative; count on the same filling quantities to stretch along 14–16 rolls.
• For a slightly herby lift, add extra chopped basil to the ricotta filling or sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the finished bake.

Storage and reheating

Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat individual portions in a microwave or warm a full dish in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 15–20 minutes until heated through. To freeze, wrap portions tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Final notes

This Delicious spinach & ricotta cannelloni bake is versatile, comforting, and perfectly suited to feed a family or to make ahead for a dinner party. The two tins of Italian whole peeled tomatoes provide the backbone of the sauce, a simple technique with big flavour payoff, while the ricotta-spinach filling is creamy, herby, and satisfying. Simple steps, honest ingredients, and careful seasoning are all you need to make this dish shine.

Enjoy this dish with a glass of your favourite beverage and good company — this is cooking that’s meant to be shared.